The importance of proactive back-up service cannot be over-estimated in ensuring that customers benefit from the lowest total cost of ownership. It is for this reason that Goscor Access Rental prides itself on its 24/7 aftermarket service.

Any breakdown or equipment failure in the field not only leads to downtime and reduced productivity, but also has longer-term implications for customer retention and loyalty – especially if the response to an emergency is deemed as tardy or ineffective.

This is the warning given by Martin Welmans, National Technical Manager at Goscor Access Rental. “The truth of the matter is that aftermarket support is probably your greatest selling asset. If customers experience problems, and you do not attend to them quickly enough, there is a great probability of losing them. That is why we strive for 24/7 aftermarket support. It is critical for us as a rental company to ensure that our equipment is up and running for as long and as effectively as is possible.”

Goscor Access Rental has a standard policy of responding to any breakdown, fault, or problem within a two-hour window period. If it is then deemed that the equipment cannot be repaired within a further nine-hour window period, a replacement unit is provided until the necessary repairs can be effected on the original.

Welmutz points out that every item of equipment from Goscor Access Rental has a prominent decal attached to it displaying all relevant contact details, including that of the Managing Director, such is the company’s pride in its rapid response and turnaround time.

“The customer or machine operator can phone either the site agent or site manager, depending on the chain of command. They, in turn, will communicate with the relevant technician, workshop or service manager, or myself if need be,” Welmans elaborates.

The key to minimising costly downtime on any equipment boils down to regular inspection and maintenance. “Before any equipment leaves our yard, it is thoroughly tested and inspected. We do not compromise on ensuring that our equipment is fit to go to site,” Welmans stresses. This includes a pre-delivery workshop inspection carried out by trained technicians, followed by a thorough vetting in terms of quality assurance by the workshop manager.

In addition, Goscor Access Rental maintains an extensive inventory of critical and normal spares in order to be able to deal with the most common equipment failures and problems. “In terms of the OEM brands we deal with, these often keep their own spares on-site, which also assists with our rapid response to any breakdowns.”

Welmans is quick to point out that the company’s relationship with the customer does not end with the sale itself. “Our sales team train the end users to ensure their full confidence in being able to operate the equipment correctly and with maximum effectiveness and efficiency.” This comprises both handover and operator-licence training.
In addition, Goscor Access Rental ensures all of its own staff receive regular up-to-date training on its equipment. “We facilitate in-house training between all of our branches, including Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban. This either involves visits by specific technicians, or I visit the branches myself,” Welmans adds.

Technicians not only receive hands-on workshop exposure, but also have access to a training facility for special courses. “They must not only know what our machines are capable of doing, but must be able to troubleshoot any problems on the spot. Our fleet is so big and diverse that this requirement for in-house competency is ongoing and of great importance to the overall effectiveness of our aftermarket support,” Welmans highlights. Technicians are even required to write and pass examinations once any training courses have been completed.

“We strive to provide a comprehensive service to our customers, which includes aftermarket support. You can have a big range, but if a single piece of equipment goes down, and a customer cannot complete a project on time, then he is unhappy. Therefore we need to be aware of the business imperatives of our customers at all times.

The image projected by Goscor Access Rental is that only is its equipment reliable, but that its aftermarket support is 100% reliable as well,” Welmans concludes.